Book Three: Tempest
by FreyReh
Summary: Alice returns to the dark alternate universe which is currently in a galactic war against the Triceratons and other alien races that want to make the people (and mutants) of Earth their slaves. (FULL SUM INSIDE) M for lang, violence, and sexual themes
1. Chapter 1

Note: You all have been waiting so patiently. Shall we begin? Few things... Alice now opened a tumblr account and will be taking questions from you all! I'm just hoping she doesn't let any spoilers slip out in the process! The link to it is on my profile page! Also, I'm still writing Alpha so feel free to check out that as well. I'm hoping to make that a series as well... We shall see! Okay, enough babbling, onwards!

Title: Tempest

Summary: Alice returns to the dark alternate universe which is currently in a galactic war against the Triceratons and other alien races that want to make the people (and mutants) of Earth their slaves. Not only that but another darkness is slowly waking up, ready to devour all in its path, until it is the one and only thing left in that dimension.

Rated: M  
Genre: Action/Adventure, Drama, Romance... A melting pot of FEELS. ;p

Dis: I don't own TMNT, though some characters in this story are of my creation.

**BOOK ONE: To Catch a Thief**  
**BOOK TWO: Down the Rabbit Hole**

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He pressed his back into the chunk of concrete that used to belong to the now collapsed office building. Smoke billowed around him, making his eyes threaten to tear up and his lungs struggle for breath. Sweat beaded upon his forehead, even with the snow on the ground, and he wiped it away with the back of his hand: smearing dirt along with blood that wasn't his. He was the only one left of his unit and he had limited ammo left for his pistol: this assault rifle lost within the skeleton of what used to be a great city.

The Triceratons had been relentless in taking over Earth and the humans along with a few mutants were fighting tooth and nail to kick the dinosaurs off the planet. Some said that fighting was fruitless. The Triceratons had the numbers, having allied with other races to share in the pickings after Earth and its people were claimed and cast to slavery. One of the biggest factions that fought against them was the one he was part of. The Hamato clan, once allied with the asshole that got them in this mess to begin with, were the ones that managed to keep the Triceratons on their toes and one step further away from victory.

His unit had just bombed an important communications hub when things started going ass backwards. He had barely made it out, had a nasty gash on his leg that was hindering his ability to walk a straight line: but the rest of them had gotten obliterated. He was the only one left and he would have gone down fighting if it wasn't important as hell to get back to base. The disks in his vest had a lot of damn info he was certain the techs would want to get their hands on. All he needed now was a miracle to get out of the mess he was in. He could hear them approaching, the growls and snarls that would make any child hide in fear increasing in volume.

Monsters.

They were monsters and they were closing in on his position fast, their shadows darker than the black sky above him. He tapped at the visor that donned his head and could make out their heat signatures through the smoke and concrete. He grit his teeth in frustration as he linked to a private channel, tapping his comm all while keeping an eye on the enemy. Snow crunched where they stepped, making him want to remain as still as possible.

"This is Jenkins. We got the hub but ran into... Complications. I'm all that's left and I've got Triceratons up my ass. Need an evac ASAP. Managed to snag something they're gunna miss!"

"Jenkins," snapped a voice on the other line. "Hang in there. We're coming for you."

"Sonuvabitch," muttered Jenkins as he pressed his back further into the concrete slab. He swallowed the bile that threatened to rise up his throat in fear while a Triceraton walked on the other side of his hiding spot. He was so close he could hear the sound of its claws clinking against the metallic surface of its weapon. He stayed still, fearing that it would be his last day, when a blinding light filled the sky.

It was so bright that without his visor he would have had to close his eyes. Instead, he used the distraction to change position, further from the enemy, but right up against the bank that the light had originated from. He knew sure as shit those dinosaurs would want to see what the hell that light had been.

So he had a decision to make. Check it out, or get the hell out of dodge.

"MA'AM!" he shouted into his piece, sprinting into the lobby that had yellowed papers littering the floor and shards of glass that crunched under his boots. He went for the stairwell and started sprinting up the concrete steps, leaping over areas of the floor that was missing upon his assent. "There was a light! I'm checking it out before the dinos do! I'm at the old bank on-"

"I know exactly where you are," said his superior, sounding anxious and thrilled at the same time. "You get your ass to where that light was. It's a friendly, do you understand? You get there before THEY do and you protect her at ALL COSTS!"

"Her?" he asked.

"HER," said General Emily Hamato, one of the three that had their own factions around the city. "Alice."

"Holy shit," said an astonished Jenkins. "You serious?"

"Yes. Listen here Lieutenant, we're coming. You hold those lizards off till we get there."

The building rocked causing debris to rain down on him. An explicative charged out of his lips as he was slammed into a wall. He barely grabbed the railing of the staircase in time, almost falling down the hole he just jumped that was at least three stories deep. Above him he heard a female mirroring the curse he just shouted: annoyance and a hint of desperation tinged in her tone.

"I'm closing in on her position!" he shouted, breath puffing out before him in a cloud of curling mist.

"ETA five minutes," said the General. "We're coming by air."

Jenkins closed the communication and resumed running and only skidded to a halt when coming face to face with a female with blazing red hair, gleaming green eyes, and a scar on her upper lip. He opened his mouth to talk but once again the building rocked and a chunk of the ceiling fell and shattered between the two of them.

"Lieutenant Tate Jenkins, Ma'am." He gave her a quick salute. "We're in the middle of a shit storm but help is coming. I'm a friend."

He was expecting a fight, ready to try and talk her into trusting him. She surprised him by offering a nod and slight smirk just as the building rocked again. The damn dinos were hitting them with everything they had and that was just the ground troops. He was certain reinforcements were coming not just for the data disks he snatched but for her as well.

"We need to get the hell out of here before the building comes down on us. I've got people in the air en route. You know the General: Emily Hamato..."

"General?" She laughed. "Good for her. We better get to the roof."

She turned on her booted heel, giving him a good view of the dual katana at her back, and started sprinting up the rest of the stairs to the roof access. She ran like she had the devil coming after her and he had to admit it was a struggle to keep up, and he blamed his injury for it. Finally, they made it to the roof access, and she shoved open the metal door that screeched its displeasure at being forced upon and the night air rushed into stale building. In the distance he heard the hum of engines and he only hoped it was his people closing in and not the enemy.

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As she crawled over debris Alice was certain there was something wrong with her. She attracted trouble, had done so since her mother left, and she was certain this was a new record for her. She hadn't been back in this world for more than ten seconds before someone decided they wanted to kill her. Already she was covered in dirt and grime, her red hair sticking out like a sore thumb as the building continued to buckle and break from the assault of the walking dinosaurs and their rockets and whatever else they were using.

"Fuck!" she cursed as long dead florescent bulbs were shaken out of their holds, shattering a little too close to her head for comfort. She scrambled to her feet, numerous strategies running through her mind. Should she take the same route as before and fight her way through the front door or rush up to the roof and take flight? Considering the amount of rockets the dinos had and her lack of knowledge she figured flight over fight would be a good idea. She was ready to take to the stairwell when a man, Jenkins, found her.

He was cute, with the typical buzz cut that kept his naturally dark hair super short and out of the way. Stubble decorated his upper lip, chin, and jaw and his blue eyes were piercing. He was hot as hell and had she not already given all her love to two turtles with anger issues she'd have been all over that.

When he dropped Emily's name she was almost ready to trust him. She led the way up the stairs. She could tell his leg was injured and by his appearance he'd been through the wringer so she was certain she could handle him in a fight. Once on the roof she remained at his side, slightly behind him, while he tapped at the visor that covered one side of the upper part of his head.

"This is Jenkins. I got her. We're on the roof. I hear-aw SHIT! We got company!"

Alice scowled as she looked up at the twin alien fighters coming in on their position. They had the same shape as the stealth bombers in her world but the metal had a weird, yellow glow about it. She saw dual engines and then heard the hum of a charging weapon. She turned to look at Jenkins and he had a look of horror on his face. He looked at her.

"I'm sorry..."

"Don't be," she said, handing him her small bag, which he took with a look of confusion. "Hold this."

Twisting behind him and gripping the top portions of his vest she launched into the sky. She smirked at his startled yelp and tightened her grip as she used air to speed away from the building as it exploded behind her. She felt the heat of the blast on her back and wavered slightly but was soon rushing over the burning city of New York. It was ironic, how the city could be in flames and yet still have snow and ice coating the dilapidated structures.

"Holy shit you fly?!" he shouted, looking up at her in slight awe and she looked down, grinning.

"Yeah, still learning, but I'm getting the hang of it. Where do we go?"

"Hold on." He smacked the side of his head and Alice realized he was still using his visor to communicate with Emily. "This is Jenkins... Yeah we're fine we're... Flying! No, no, like actually FLYING. General Hamato, trust me, this is no joke. We're coming in! Yeah... You want me to take her where? Base One? Copy that. Over and out."

He laughed, finally relaxing in her hold while lifting an arm to point in the distance. It was what left of the Statue of Liberty. Taking the cue she dipped her body and added a burst of speed toward the crumbled structure.

"Get lower," he said. "Triceratons watch the skies and water but we found a comfortable height to stay out of their sensor range. I can monitor it with my visor. Yeah, right here. Land by the feet."

She did just that, setting down by the big right toe. Jenkins let out a woosh of air and a short laugh before clapping her on the back, as if they were longtime friends instead of strangers that just met. He rubbed the top of his head, his short hair slightly scratchy against his palm.

"That was fucking intense," he said, walking to the toe and Alice watched as he slid his hand over the surface.

Suddenly, there was an open panel and it took a retina scan along with his thumbprint. He spoke his rank and full name and finally the door opened to reveal two guards on the other side along with another familiar face. Alice did a double-take but she'd recognize that scaly mug anywhere.

"Jake?"

"Hello Princess," he said.

Jake, the lizard mutant she remembered from before, stood before her in the same type of brown clothing he had before. He had a pistol at his side and slung over his shoulder was the strap that held a nasty looking sniper rifle. He nodded to Jenkins before stepping aside to let them in. Jenkins opened up the vest he wore and produced five disks.

"Who is your techie here? Need to get these to them ASAP."

"Collins," said Jake, nodding at one of the guards as the doors closed and the elevator descended. "Escort Jenkins over to Molly's lab."

The guard nodded and when the elevator stopped he left with Jenkins after he handed Alice back her bag. Alice made a move to follow but Jake put out an arm, halting her movements. She looked up at him and he shook his head, pushing her back gently before pressing another button.

"Not you," he said. "You're needed elsewhere."

"Okay…"

"He made it damn clear to me if you were to come back and he wasn't here that you'd have top clearance." At her widening eyes he waved her concern away. "Don't worry. He's alive. Just not here. He's running a silent OPS and is due back sometime tomorrow."

"How is he?" she asked, looking at the lizard man that hadn't trusted her before. He sighed, as if she just asked a loaded question, and perhaps she had. Rubbing the top of his scaly head he grunted, as if unsure where to start, before leveling her with a serious look that made her spine freeze in place.

"He's changed. He's… He's always been a hard ass, kept others out: at least from what I hear. He's alive, I suppose that is what matters."

"Is Michelangelo here?" asked Alice.

"He's got his own faction," said Jake. "One I'll be returning to soon. This isn't my usual post. Hell, news of your return, you'll have two Hamato brothers knocking down the damn door to make sure it's really you."

"O-Oh," she said, looking down as the elevator descended. "So they're both okay?"

"Your death put a real big shadow on their souls, Princess."

"And I'm sorry for that," she said, running a hand through her mussed hair.

"Don't be. Once they see you…"

The elevator dinged, doors opening, and it was the out Alice was looking for. She was well aware of the feelings a certain turtle named Michelangelo harbored for her and it was more than a little awkward with him. She didn't have those feelings for him and she hated that he had them for her. She quickly stepped out of the elevator and into a hall that just screamed TOP SECRET.

Jake walked to the right and she followed, grip on her bag tightening as he opened a door to a room filled with computer monitors: each running a different feed. Her curious (now brown) eyes traveled over them and stopped at a certain one that had the full view of what had attacked her. Heads of a triceratops and built like a rock they had a menacing air about them. Her eyes narrowed as she watched them execute a group of people.

"The fuck happened in this place?" she asked.

"After you left, we were in negotiations with the President to give the people back their home," said Jake, taking a seat at a table. There were four chairs and she took the one across from him, shrugging off her katana and laying them at her feet. "Triceratons had a deal with Ch'rell and they didn't want it broken. With Shredder out of the way they took the opportunity to strike. WE and a few others are what stand between us and world domination."

"Jesus," said Alice, slouching in her chair. "How long have I been gone?"

"Eight months. How are you alive anyway?"

"Opened a portal to another world and I healed there. It's only been a little over a month for me, not eight." She rubbed her face with her palm. "So what now?"

"Raphael will fill you in when he returns. He's… Sort of our leader. He's filled the role of President, Secretary of State… All of it. Don't really think he wanted it but with what he's done you gotta expect people to start following your lead."

"Why is he out there and not here? With how important he is…"

"You try telling him that without getting decked in the face," he answered. He shifted in his seat, suddenly looking uncomfortable. "You look like shit."

"Thanks," she said bitingly.

"Wanna get cleaned up?"

"I guess," she muttered.

"I'm… Not sure where I should put you," he answered, rubbing the back of his neck. "You want to bunk in your own room or…" He shifted again. "His? Raphael's."

"Oh." She cleared her throat. "I mean, it's not like… Um…"

"It's on this floor, on the opposite end of the hall," said Jake, rising. "Otherwise there is a guest room next to mine not being used."

"Maybe I'll take that for now," said Alice.

"All right."

She grabbed her stuff and followed him out.

"I don't want to be locked up in here," she said. "Also, how did Raphael make the Statue of Liberty into a safehouse?"

"It was here long before Ch'rell took over. I'll have Molly make you a card, it'll give you access to everything in this facility as well as the others. That is only given to the Generals and their second in commands. We'll take a retina scan, print, and your voice sample as well to get in and out of the base just in case."

"So I take it you're Mikey's? Second in command I mean"

"Yeah," he said. "Emily is Donatello's, though she takes the General along with him, and Siren is Raph's."

"Who is Siren?" asked Alice.

"A pain in the ass," grumbled Jake. "You're not a prisoner, Alice. I just figured you wanted to, I don't know… Settle in? How long you staying this time?"

"Who knows," said Alice with a smirk. "Though I don't plan on leaving anytime soon."

"Good. I'll, uh, leave you to it. Get some rest I'm sure tomorrow is going to be hectic for you."

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It was a standard room with a small bathroom, bed, and desk. It reminded her of her first apartment except there was no kitchen. Her stomach grumbled now but she had no idea how to get to the mess hall and decided to just wait until someone got her. There was a small clock along with a lamp on the bedside and it read midnight. Sighing, she sat on the edge of the bed to comb her fingers through her red locks. Wanting a small amount of comfort she had put on her trusty jersey and one of the two pairs of sweatpants she had brought with her.

She knew sleep wouldn't come easily for her. She was wired and she had to admit a little nervous to see Raphael again. She was somewhat relieved that she still had a day of reprieve. Jake said he had changed. How? She remembered how cold he had seemed before when she first met him. Was he worse than that? The thought sent a cold shiver through her and she curled under the blankets of her bed, pulling the covers up to her chin.

She wasn't 100 percent sure what she should be doing here as a timestress and she hoped her boss would get in contact with her soon so that she could get a clue as to where to start. Her eyes trailed to her dual katana which were leaning against the corner. Powerful weapons that helped her harness the elements and she still couldn't believe the crap that she was now able to do.

"Ugh," she muttered, burrowing further into the somewhat flat pillow. The room was too quiet: the silence making her ears want to ring in discomfort. She wanted a fan or perhaps the sound of someone breathing next to her. Hell, even a television! She then remembered that she had her phone from her world and tossed the covers aside. Though she couldn't make a call on it she found her music play list easily and after shuffling some files around made a soothing mix of soft pop and instrumental pieces. On the fifth track she felt her eyes grow heavy and sleep overtook her.

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Jake sighed while reaching into the pocket of his brown duster for his communicator. He knew who it was. Had been expecting this phonecall since he saw Alice's face when the elevator doors opened. He looked at the screen grimly, somewhat tempted to ignore the call, before accepting it with the slide of his thumb.

"General Hamato," he said smoothly, licking the top row of his teeth with his tongue. "What a pleasant surprise."

"Is it her?"

Jake winced at the desperation in the voice. He had hoped his friend had moved on from her, that his continuous flings with different women both human and mutant would get her out of his system. Unlike his brother, who lived a life of solitude and kept everyone at arms-length: Michelangelo had taken a different approach. Jake couldn't quite remember the name of the feline mutant he was spending his time with now. Women have tried to claim the General, thinking that THEY could be the one that could make him settle down. They always ended up disappointed. Perhaps, with her here, she could help him move on. Especially if she continued her relationship with his brother Raphael.

"Yeah," he said, settling on his own bed, pulling out one of the many rolled cigarettes in his shirt pockets. He placed it between his lips then dug into the same pocket for his lighter. He lit it easily and inhaled his addiction, body instantly relaxing as the nicotine roared through his system. "It's her."

"_Sonuvabitch_," breathed Michelangelo. "She okay?"

"She's the same as the day she left," he said. "Save for the new hair."

"Did she say anything about what happened to her?"

"Fell through the portal, healed up on the other side. Said that for her she's only been gone here a little over a month."

The silence on the other end had him shifting uncomfortably. He flicked the ash of his smoke into a small clay pot on his nightstand before replacing it between his lips. He toed off his boots, letting them hit the floor and shrugged off his jacket to reveal muscular green arms that were scaly to the touch.

"I'll be there in twenty."

"She's resting now," said Jake. "Give her till morning. We already have one General out of his post we don't need two."

"Dammit, Jake," said Michelangelo, ready to argue.

"It makes sense and you know it. What if Raphael doesn't check in tomorrow and your ass gets shot down on the way here? It's too risky. I know you love her, everyone in the inner circle knows you love her: but you know as well as I do she loves your brother."

More silence and Jake was starting to regret his words but Michelangelo did need to hear them.

"I'll be there tomorrow," he snapped before ending the connection.

"Christ," grumbled Jake, tossing his communicator beside his hip. "What a shitstorm."

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Michelangelo calmly set his communicator down on his desk, even through he wanted nothing more than to whip it against the wall. Watching the pieces shatter would be satisfying but he needed it just in case he was needed. He replaced the phone with the bottle of liquor he usually kept in his bottom drawer reserved for bad days. This drink was a combination of celebrating Alice's return as well as sulking over Jake's words.

He knew she loved his brother. He knew she would choose Raphael over him in a heartbeat no matter how he plead his case but dammit he loved that woman. He hated it, hated that he had these feelings that were unrequited. He tried, lord how he tried to get her out of his head and out of his heart. His latest distraction lay behind him in the tangle of sheets he had left behind after receiving a message from Donatello that she was back.

He had called his brother immediately, asking how he knew and had gotten the full report. It sounded outrageous, Alice being found by one of their men and her FLYING him to base one. Base one, where Raphael was... Of course. Scowling he swallowed away his bitterness to replace it with the sharp taste of whiskey. Jake, the scaly bastard, just didn't understand. One time, before this all started, he and Jake had been drunk on the patio of one of the many lavish rooms in Saki tower. Michelangelo had still been recovering from Leonardo's attack. He had asked his fellow reptilian mutant if he'd ever been in love. Jake had said no.

_"I have. I am. It sucks. Don't ever do it. She's gone and now I'm left with this hole in my heart that... That will never be replaced and to top it off she never loved me back. Not in the same way. My advice? Don't get attached. It's better that way..."_

He had taken his own advice. He had closed off his heart and the faces of the women, and a couple men, that he has bed have blurred. He loved them for a night or two, and then found someone knew. Nyx was on her third night and he was already getting bored with her, Of her marking him with her claws as if she had the right. There was only one woman who had that right and she was a twenty minute flight away. He was tempted to ignore Jake's words and go there now but he knew the mutant was right.

It would make no sense to go out on his own in the middle of the night when Raphael was out of his post as well. In fact it was a deal they all made, that when one General was out, unless it was an emergency, the others were to stay in. Just in case something happened but this WAS an emergency dammit.

She was back. He wanted her here to warp his arm around, wanted to bury his nose in her hair to make sure her scent was the same. He wanted to kiss her and demand she never scare him like this ever again. He wanted to fall on his knees and beg her to take him, to choose him-

"Fuck me," he muttered, taking another drink from the bottle to interrupt his thoughts. "What a sad excuse for a General you're turning out to be."

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The mission was done but since they didn't travel during the day so they had taken shelter. They were bunkering down in an abandoned building in the lower east side of Manhattan. His team had proven themselves again and together they had infiltrated and rigged up a Triceraton base. They had planted explosives, stolen a couple weapon designs, and had taken out one of the Triceraton leaders in the process. THAT had been a bonus. He could still hear the outraged roars of the aliens as their base went up in flames and it made him smirk evilly.

He settled further back into a wall, feet sprawled out and weapon at his side while munching on his rations. The bar was dry and tasted worse than the oatmeal in the mess hall but it was better than nothing. In the other room he heard the hushed conversations between Siren, his second, and his fellow men. They were settling in for the night and as the sun started streaming in through the streaked windows he heard nothing but light snoring. Times like this he was left to his thoughts and he had no problems with that. He never slept when his men did, always opting to take the first watch because he didn't want anyone ever dying because of him again.

Al. Cortez. Leo. Alice. Those names always brought guilt and pain to his soul, which he was surprised he still had. He didn't want this. Any of it. There were days the role of leader was too much. He wasn't sure how many times his tongue had tasted the metallic barrel of his pistol he always wore at his hip. They were the only reason he stopped. He could picture the look of disappointment on all their faces and he'd click the safety back into place.

He pulled out his communicator and flipped it on. With the operation over and done with he wanted to get in contact with Michelangelo and Donatello and tell them he was fine and that he needed a pickup at this location as soon as the sun was down. Since his base was an island surrounded by water he didn't have the facilities to hide choppers like Donatello did. Donatello's cloaking technology enabled them to travel in the dark silently to Base One. They would put on parachutes and drop out of the choppers one by one and land on the island while the pilots continued flying, circling back to Base Three. So far it has worked and not once have the Triceratons raised a head in their direction.

Three consecutive beeps had him looking down at the screen and frowning. He had two messages from Donatello and one from Michelangelo. Opening up the one from Michelangelo first he read the one sentence and felt the blood drain from his face. Breathing was becoming an issue and his hand was shaking. He read that one sentence over and over again but still didn't quite believe it. He quickly went to Donatello's first message and it read the same.

_Alice is back._

"Alice," he whispered, a knot in his heart loosening. "Jesus... She's alive..."

Donatello's second message read:

_She's at your base._

He messaged Donatello back, cursing each time his fingers shook to the point that he struggled to hold the communicator.

_Misson Complete. Pick up ASAP. 40.7172°N, 73.9897° W_

He pocketed the device then brought his head to his hands, biting his tongue to keep the sob from escaping his trembling lips. He was being pathetic, crying for a woman that might not even be Alice. What if she was a copy? A clone? His heart refused to believe it was her until he SAW her. He remembered the blossoming bloodstain on her shirt, the sai in her chest, the dead look that settled into her eyes as she fell through the portal.

Yet...

She had surprised him before. Perhaps the wound hadn't been as deadly as he had thought? He wanted it to be her. He really did. If she threw a fireball at him then he'd be convinced that it was her. Was she in his bed now? Waiting for him? The thought had him grinning like a lovesick puppy. Eight months he mourned for her, refused the company of other women, closed himself off from even his brothers: and now she was back. Would it change things? Could he be who he'd been before? He was so practiced at not showing emotion that he slightly feared that he'd be cold with her as well. He didn't want that.

"Stop," he ordered to himself, rubbing a hand over his face. "Just wait until you see her. It's gunna be fine. When you see her you'll know."

All he had to do was wait until the sun set in thirteen hours and his questions would be answered.

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TBC...


	2. Chapter 2

Note: Thanks so much to those that reviewed the first chapter! Let's me know you're still interested in this story! And yay, alt!Raph is back! :)

Dis: I don't own TMNT

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"Maybe we should get you checked out."

Tate Jenkins ignored the officer's concern while being escorted to the lab. He could taste the blood from his busted lip and feel the ache in his shoulder. His leg hurt like a bitch, something he hadn't felt with the adrenaline in his system while in combat. Still, he needed to get these disks to… What was her name again? Molly? That was his top concern and honestly he'd had much worse injuries before.

"Just get me to the lab," he said. "These disks are more important than a busted up shoulder and a leg wound."

The soldier nodded and Tate followed him down a corridor with only a slight limp. It was a wide hall with numerous doors, the red light above the keypads indicating that they were locked. Upon coming to a large sliding glass door, the soldier brought out his I.D. badge and scanned it. Dual doors slid open with a soft whoosh and Tate's blue eyes traveled around the room. He'd been in Donatello's lab once, and it was twice the size of this one but it seemed both Donatello and Molly had an affinity for junk. Piles of scrap littered one table; mixed technologies of different races tangled together by the wires and bent metal. On another table was a disassembled Triceraton stungun and next to it was a disassembled Triceraton assault weapon that could blow holes in your chest. He'd seen it done on the cadet that had been standing beside him just a few hours ago. Shaking away the wisps of the past that threatened to entrap him he turned away from the table as a loud clank filled the room.

"Dang it!" hissed someone from behind another table. This one had a few stacks of papers, an open laptop and a mug of steaming coffee sitting untouched. "Great! Just great!"

"Dr. Hilde?" asked the soldier behind him, earning a startled squeak as the woman popped her head out from behind the table. THIS girl was a Doctor? He had to wonder how old she was because her face looked incredibly young. Nineteen? Twenty? Not much older than that. Her eyes were a darker shade of blue than his and her hair was shoulder length and a dark brunette. Images flashed behind his eyes of a woman that looked similar to her, on a swing set, laughing as she licked her legs-and once again he had to shake away the past.

"Hey! Hi…" She stood her full height. She wore a simple gray sweater, the collar of the white button up beneath it folded neatly at the neck along with the cuffs at her wrists. She had on black slacks and black shoes that looked polished. She picked up the device she must have dropped and set it on the table before pulling a strand of hair behind her ear nervously. "Thomas. Good evening."

"Ma'am," said the soldier that had brought him down. "This is Lieutenant Jenkins."

Tate nodded as she looked at him curiously. He reached up into his vest and pulled out the data disks. The way her eyes lit up brightly let him know they truly were important and he offered them to her. He had flecks of blood on his hand and dirt under his nails but her pristinely clean hand didn't hesitate to snatch the disks. Immediately she rushed to another computer. She put on an ear piece and within moments there was an image of his Commanding Officer on the large screen on the wall. Immediately he stood straighter, hands going behind his back.

"Dr. Hilde," said Donatello, eyes drifting to meet Tate's for a moment. "I see my operative made it to your lab safe and sound."

"Indeed he did," she said, holding up the disks. "These are indeed Triceraton date disks but something looks different... I don't recognize the writings on them."

"Will they interface with the Triceraton drive?"

"I… I think so."

"Excellent. Remember what I taught you?"

"Of course," she said, walking to another table, all eyes on her as she opened up a tray. "The salvage team brought this drive in just last week. The other one was had overloaded."

Tate's eyes watched as she snagged her laptop and connected it to the device which was now glowing gold. Within moments the screen on the wall split, half of it was Donatello's face and the other half was-Something. Code? He didn't recognize any of the symbols.

"You're free to go and get that leg checked out," said Molly, fingers tapping over the keyboard of her laptop, taking a brief moment to meet his eyes. "This could take a while, even with the translation program, not to mention the unknown language-_plus_ you're bleeding on my floor and I don't much like it."

Tate looked down and sure enough there was blood on the floor. Wincing he gave her an apologetic look, but she was already looking back down at her laptop. His eyes traveled to the main screen and once again he stood straight. His general was looking at him with a bit of sympathy. Donatello knew what he had gone through that night, knew what it had taken to get those disks back into home base, and Donatello have him a nod.

"Dismissed. Get looked at. I'll arrange transport for you back to base three and we can debrief when you arrive."

"Sir," said Tate, saluting. He was halfway out the door before Molly spoke up.

"Lieutenant?" He looked over his shoulder, blue eyes pained, and not just from the wounds on his body. She fumbled for a moment, not expecting the emotion he was sure, and he slammed his walls down. It had been a mistake; he was so damn tired and ready to just forget the entire day. "Thank you."

He nodded before stepping out of her lab. The doors closed behind him and he followed his escort to the Med Labs. The man on duty was shorter than he was, and more rounded in the middle. Half his face was covered by large glasses that magnified his brown eyes which had crows-feet etched in the corners. His red hair was thick and covered his head, cheeks, and jaw. He wore the traditional white lab coat and his I.D. card said Dr. Jax Milton. Within moments his leg was numbed, stitched, and bandaged. His other wounds were quickly tended to, and he refused to wear the sling because it wasn't anything but a precautionary measure. He could move it just fine and it wasn't like he had dislocated it. His clothes had been ruined so new ones had been dropped off. He slipped on a pair of sand colored cargo pants, which sat low on his hips due to being a little too big. He strapped on his belt to keep them up, his weapon secured at his side. Finally he pulled on a black, long-sleeved top that clung to his arms and chest: covering the dragon tattoo that curled around his right bicep. He winced as his shoulder pulled slightly and ignored the glare from the doctor as he strapped on his vest and pulled on his boots. He snagged his visor and gave a quick salute to the doctor before leaving out the door. Jake was on the other side and the mutant lizard nodded at him before taking the lead back to the elevator.

"How's the leg?"

"Its fine," said Tate.

"Got yer room set up for ya," said Jake, entering the elevator and pushing a button that was two levels higher than Alice's level.

"How's the girl?" asked Tate curiously. "Gotta be one hell of a shock being back here."

"She's managing," said Jake.

"So you knew her? Before today?"

"You sure ask a lot of questions," said Jake, shifting from foot to foot. "And yeah. I did. I was part of the team that picked her up when she arrived here the first time."

They continued downward in silence. Tate leaned against the back wall of the elevator easily, taking some of the weight off his leg in the process. Maybe he should have gotten some pain pills from the doctor, but he sure as hell wasn't going to go back for them. He had pride, and he definitely had worse done to him before. He chanced a look at the lizard mutant, over the hard crown of bone atop his head to the scales that gleamed green, blue, and red.

"So why are you here?" he asked calmly. "And not at Base Two?"

"Same as you," said Jake shortly. "Had a mission, ended up here, Raphael went out with Siren and I decided to stay and keep the king's throne company while he was gone."

Tate just left it at that and when the elevator doors opened he walked out. Jake remained in the elevator and as the doors were about to close he put his arm out the stop them. Tate hesitated at his assigned room as Jake spoke, a serious look on his face: a look of a man who knew what it was like to go to hell and back.

"You did good, Kid."

Jake stepped back, the elevators closed, and Tate was left alone in the quiet hall with nothing but the sound of his breathing to keep him company. It wasn't until he was locked in his room that he felt comfortable. He pulled off his gear once more. Visor and weapons went on the small table, vest and boots on the chair beside it. He pulled off his borrowed shirt then went to the bathroom, bare feet padding on the floor. He flipped on the light and stared hard into the mirror over the sink. There was a small towel so he twisted the knobs of the sink sharply then ran the towel under the clear spray. Slowly he cleaned away blood and dirt, permanently staining the towel. He tossed it in the wastebasket when he was done and turned off the water. He looked up at the mirror once more, watching as droplets of water ran down his face.

It played like a movie in his head, over and over again, the sounds of screams and explosions around him. Marty, that had been his name, shouting that they needed to leave before there was a hole the size of a basketball in his chest. He had to get the disks out of Marty's pockets. Tate still remembered the warmth of his blood on his hands. He had escaped just as Triceratons swarmed the room, jumped out a window and fallen with shards of glass to the street below. That was probably when he sliced his leg open. He had hurt his shoulder after landing on the burnt remains of a car. It had taken him a moment to get his breath back and when he'd been able to slide off the car the Triceratons had been there. Shortly after the light had come and it had been that light that had saved his ass.

Stepping away from the mirror he flicked off the light and went to the small bed. The springs protested as he settled in. Pulling his hands behind his head his unblinking eyes stared up at the cracked ceiling. He wasn't sure if sleep would come. His body and his soul hurt and FUCK he would have loved a shot of anything that moment-or a fucking pain pill. He was certain it would be the shot he'd need most tomorrow. Not only would he have to face his disappointed comrades and C.O.'s, but the broken family members of those that perished on his watch. When he finally did drift off the sleep, his waking nightmares followed him into his dreams.

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Her eyes opened, blinking lazily as the morning fog slowly cleared. Smacking her lips she sat up slowly, pulling strands of her hair out of her face. Grabbing her phone she frowned when she saw she drained most of the battery and she turned it off. Yawning she slid out of bed and did her morning routine. She slipped on her signature black tank-top, a clean pair of brown pants, and zipped up her black boots. She was just pulling her hair up into a ponytail when there was a knock at her door. She opened it and standing on the other side was Jake.

"Mornin' Princess," he greeted. "Ready to get your day started?"

"Good timing, I just got up a bit ago."

"Decided to give you till noon to sleep in, what with the welcoming you had." She followed him easily to the elevators. "We'll get you to Molly's lab first. Get you into the system so that you don't need me to open a door. We'll also get a communicator up and running for you. All the top-ranked personnel have them."

"Are there civilians living here?" she asked.

"Not a lot," he said. "Significant others mostly: and only a few children. We're not a refugee camp. Those that don't want to fight run north into the woods."

"You just send them on their way?" asked Alice. "Defenseless people?"

"There are many havens they can run to," said Jake. "We don't have the resources to house everyone here or at our other bases. The havens in the woods have so far been undetected by the Triceratons. There are about twenty-eight of them."

"But they are technically on their own," said Alice.

She wasn't sure how she felt about that. She remembered how much Michelangelo had loved his people, how proud he'd been to help civilians. Raphael had gained the trust of the people who had been ruled under Saki. Did he just toss them out in the cold when things got tough? True, from what she's seen, this facility was small: but there was no way in hell she could believe they would just ignore the pleas of their people for aid.

"You've seen what it's like out there," said Jake, pressing the elevator button and soon they were ascending to the higher levels. "The havens we send them to were from when people were hiding from Shredder. It was Michelangelo's idea. We gave them the tools to survive, and it's up to them to use them until we win this damn war."

Alice didn't say anything else. She just followed Jake to the labs and as the glass doors opened she was greeted with the sight of a woman drinking the largest cup of coffee Alice has seen in her life. The woman was tall, but had a slim frame. Alice was certain that if she conjured a wave of air the girl would fall over. Upon seeing them she smiled brightly, setting the mug down.

"You must me Alice."

"Yes," said Alice, taking the hand the girl offered.

"I'm Molly Hilde," said Molly, gesturing to a small table that had a few devices that made Alice a little uncomfortable. Mostly the thing that looked like a mini-gun. "Let's get you set up, shall we? Have a seat on the stool this should only take a few moments."

Molly tapped a few keys on her lap top and asked a few, basic questions. Name, birthdate, and past illnesses or surgeries and Alice felt like she was in a doctor's office. Molly held up a tablet and Alice placed her hand on it when asked and Molly remembered the small, cylinder rod from when Donatello scanned her the first time. It scanned her from head to toe, focusing on the eyes.

"We have your fingerprints, retinal scan, and now can you say a few sentences for me?" asked Molly.

"Uh… Like what?" asked Alice.

"Anything," said Molly. "Just so that I have a voice pattern for the recognition software."

"I'm Alice, I'm a Taurus and like walks in the park and think hot dogs are delicious," said Alice. Molly's lips pursed in a smile as she held up the small mini-gun that Alice deduced was an injector of some sort. Alice held up a hand, leaning away from the woman with what she considered a weapon. "What's _that_ for?"

"It's a chip," said Molly. "Everyone on the base has one."

"No," said Alice. "I don't need a tracking chip in me."

"But… It's mandatory," said Molly. "If someone is lost or injured on the field of if something were to happen here it's the best way to track-"

"I said no," said Alice sternly, and Molly's eyes drifted behind her to Jake. Jake must've given Molly a signal because the woman set the injector down, clearing her throat in the process. The woman pursed her lips in distaste, not liking having to break protocol. She picked up something else. It was a small, rectangular device and she handed it over to Alice. "What's this?"

"A communicator," said Molly. "The password is 1-2-3-4 until you set up your own preference. To turn it on you just tap it."

Alice did that and after hitting her password she saw the home page. It had three icons. The first was a profile of a human and upon clicking it there was a list of six names in alphabetical order: Donatello, Emily, Jake, Michelangelo, Molly, Raphael, and Tate. Going back she saw a cog and clicked it to see the settings. The final icon looked like a power button.

"Don't click that one yet," said Molly. "That is the self-destruct button. When you hit it you have thirty seconds to enter your password before it explodes. It will send a signal upon destination, indicating your position at the time. It's saved a lot of lives."

"Don't suppose I could get my playlist on this thing, huh?" asked Alice with a smirk.

"On the contrary, if you go into settings and hit 'sync device' you can create a file on the home page and have your .mp3 files imported."

"Oh… Well that's useful," said Alice. "How do I charge this thing?"

"There is a charging port in your room," said Molly. "It's located on the side table. You just put it on there and when it starts to glow red its working, and it will glow green when fully charged."

"Lovely," said Alice, pocketing the device, the urge to call Raphael hitting her hard.

"I took the liberty of inputting the numbers of those you know in there. Mine is in there mostly for tech support if inquiry," said Molly. She then tapped a few more buttons and the sound of something printing had Molly leaving then coming back, handing Alice a card. She took it, the plastic still warm against her palm from the machine. "This will get you in and out of doors. You have the highest clearance in the place so you shouldn't run into any problems."

Was there a hint of bitterness? Jealousy? Apparently Molly didn't like being told where she could and could not go. Alice pocketed the card with her communicator. Jake motioned for them to go and Alice was more than ready to leave the lab. They went to the elevator and Alice made use of her card. It worked like a charm and soon they were headed to what Jake deemed the 'floater' level where people went about their business on downtime. There was a gym, firing range, hand-to-hand training area, and the mess hall. Alice's stomach rumbled so Jake made their first stop the cafeteria. Alice took a bruised peach and a bowl of chicken noodle soup. There were bottles of water and she snagged one before joining Jake. She felt curious eyes on her and she ignored them, calmly biting into her fruit.

"They're very curious about you, Alice," said Jake. "Your story passed all through New York. Even those that weren't there know almost every detail of your role in taking down Shredder."

"Great. Living legend," she muttered, taking a sip of water as someone slid in beside her. She turned her head and smiled upon seeing who it was. "Tate!"

"Alice," he said, picking up an apple. "How goes the first day?"

"Great," said Alice. "Though I'm sure I'll hear it from somebody about not agreeing to be monitored twenty-four-seven."

At Tate's inquiring look, Jake chimed in. "She refused the chip."

"Didn't know you could do that," murmured Tate.

"I decided that I didn't want to get a fireball thrown at my head and let her have her way," said Jake, stabbing what looked like a piece of meat.

"Right," said Tate. "Good move."

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Alice was back in her room. There really wasn't much for her to do. She had gone with Tate to the training mats after the mess hall and upon his request showed him how she could make and manipulate fire. He was even more impressed when water materialized in her other palm. She had snared the attention of many in the room and for a few minutes had put on a show for them before killing the flame and shooting the ball of water into Tate's chest: which had earned laughter all around.

"Payback is eminent," he has said, pointing at her with a grin that didn't quite reach his eyes. She could see the limp in his step and the sorrow in his eyes. "Now if you'll excuse me, I do believe I have a flight to catch in a bit."

"Yo, keep in touch," said Alice offering a hand which he took, hands fisting together they practically bumped chests while he patted her back. "I got your number I'll send off a message later so you have mine… I don't know too many people here so…"

"That's not stalkerish at all, already having my number," he said, making her eyes roll.

"Molly gave it to me. I could always erase it," she said.

"Ouch, Red, that hurts."

He gave her a mock salute before exiting the training area. Alice had followed soon after, going to the elevator and entering the floor her room was on. On the ride down she took out the communicator, thumbing the smooth surface in thought. She opened the contacts and her anxious eyes traveled over the names. Which to reach out to first? She jumped as a new message popped up on her screen and upon seeing it was from Jake she opened it immediately.

_Forgot to tell you. Raphael completed his mission. He'll be back here by tonight._

A smile spread over her face and as the elevator doors opened she made up her mind. She selected Donatello, Mikey, Raph, and Emily and wrote out the message, biting her lip in concentration while her fingers slid over the unfamiliar device.

_This is Alice. I'm safe._

What else could she say? Apologize to them for thinking she was dead? Make a joke or insert a customary smiley face? Those two sentences would have to suffice until she talked to them over the communicator or face-to-face. Almost immediately there was a response from Donatello.

_Happy you're back. We will talk soon. Emily says hi and will call you later tonight or tomorrow._

Then her communicator was ringing and once again she smiled, eyes lightening to a sky blue as the name on the screen flashed over and over. She slid her thumb to answer and brought the communicator up to her ear.

"Hey you," she said.

"Alice," he whispered. "Is it really you?"

"Yeah," she said. "It's me."

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Siren tensed as a small beeping sounded behind her. She turned her head to observe her C.O. He remained sleeping, slouched against the wall, communicator in his hand. He'd gotten a message but she wasn't about to wake him up to tell him that. He was, for once, sleeping soundly: and she wasn't about to wake him up. He barely got enough rest as it was and he could ream her out for letting him sleep later. If it were an important alert, they'd have all gotten the message. What he received was private, and could probably wait a few more hours.

She turned her head back toward the outside, the sunlight that beamed in through the wooden slats highlighting the numerous colors in her hair. Her violet eyes narrowed, the pierced eyebrows scrunching as she took note of yet another Triceraton patrol down the block. Instinct had her gloved hands tightening around her weapon and holding her breath until it was out of sight.

Damn lizards. They were giving aliens a bad name. Siren was part of a small group that had been serving under Saki upon his reign. Her people, the Ukari, were shape shifters by nature. Her natural form was equivalent to the stereotypical image humans had of aliens years ago. Ch'rell had decimated her planet and only a few had been allowed to live and serve under him. She had excelled in battle tactics and had immediately been put upon Leonardo's team upon graduating the training program. After the fall of Leonardo and Saki she had wondered what her purpose would be. She had been worried about prosecution but instead Raphael had offered her a pardon and when the Triceraton Army and their allies started to attack she immediately signed up to fight. She made an oath and has yet to regret it.

She liked fighting, the rush of blood and adrenaline: the absolute fury . She has killed many and knew there were more that would die at the end of her dagger or by a bullet from her gun. The humans had a name for what she was:

Berserker.

Yet now, leaning against the wall with faded wallpaper of a floral design, she had a sense of calm about her. Yes, she was on high alert due to the patrols, but she didn't have the need to rip someone's throat out. Which was nice, for a change, but she knew that all in due time she'd have that familiar itch. An itch she only acquired through the trainings of Shredder and Leonardo.

She sighed, amethyst eyes focusing once again on the streets below where the skeletal remains of cars resided along with fallen debris from neighboring buildings. Nothing but random pieces of trash or dead vegetation traveled the concrete surface below but she refused to let her guard down. Not until they were safe and sound back at base. She owed Raphael everything, her life really, so she would stand watch over him until the last few rays of light dissipated.

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"Michelangelo," murmured Alice. "How are you?"

"A hell of a lot better than I was thirty seconds ago," he said seriously. "How?"

She knew what he meant so she told him everything. From meeting other versions of the turtles to the Time Lord, and finally her journey home. She left out the drama of her love life, and instead opted to skirt around the truth, that she was given an assignment by the powers that be and had to fulfill it.

"You have any idea what this evil is?" he asked.

"No, but it must be bad enough to warrant sending me back here," she said softly. "Although, I was going to come back regardless."

"Were you?" he asked.

"It would have hardly been fair to make you all think I died," she said, playing with the edge of her tank-top. "I'm still getting the hang of the whole time-travel thing. It wasn't eight months for me. Tell me, how did the Triceraton's take over so quickly?"

"Some of the races of aliens weren't happy about Raphael taking over," said Michelangelo. "They were promised land and slaves and instead were being told to join in rebuilding New York or leave. Those that opposed to the idea joined forces with the Triceratons. The attack was sudden and we were all taken by surprise. Raphael had been in a meeting with the President of the United States and blames himself for not being there. Remaining forces fought like hell but it wasn't enough. We got locations of secret bunkers not even we knew about and since then have been using them along with a few other key locations to strike against the enemy."

"So that's why you keep your bases free of civilians," said Alice. "You're afraid of moles."

"It's dirty, I know," said Michelangelo. "I hate refusing shelter to those that need it most but what we're doing is important work. Those at the civilian camps are well… Let's say they know how to weed out the moles just as well as we would here."

Alice felt her stomach clench at the idea. "Can we talk about something else?"

"Okay," he said, but they remained silent for the most part. "I'm going to come see you as soon as possible."

"I'm fine," said Alice. "Please trust me?"

"I do… I do…" He sighed. "But I still want to see you."

"I want to see you too," said Alice honestly. "I've missed my friend."

A heavy silence remained between the two of them. She hadn't put emphasis on the word friend but she might as well have. She bit her lower lip, nervous as the silence dragged on. He took a few breaths before answering her.

"And I've missed you. I need to get some things done here now before I leave. I'll… See you soon. Okay?"

"Okay. Goodbye." _Click_. Alice scowled at the communicator, tossing it aside. "Well, _that_ wasn't awkward at all…Way to go Alice."

She fell back against the pillows, suddenly tired. She needed to have a long, serious talk with Michelangelo. She didn't want him harboring any feelings for her and she knew he couldn't help how he felt but perhaps the talk would help him in some way. All she felt was friendship for the turtle. She didn't have the feelings from him like she did Raphael. Then again even the feelings for the older, more ragged version of her love were just as complicated.

"Maybe I should just forget the whole relationship thing… Yeah… That would probably be for the best…"

Alice must have drifted off to sleep with her thoughts because the next thing she knew there was a pounding at her door. Sitting up she rushed to it, thinking it was Jake with important news. She whipped the door opened and there, standing on the other side, still in his tactical gear and panting as if he'd just ran a marathon: was Raphael.

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**TBC…**


	3. Chapter 3

Note: The overwhelming response to the first few chapters has been amazing! Thanks so much for reading and reviewing! Honestly, I've re-written the first part of this chapter 5x over… Not liking certain details… Hope you all like the final product as much as I do!

Dis: I don't own TMNT  
**Warning: Sexual Content Ahead!...and maybe a dab of plot**

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Two choppers raced side by side over the city, the constant _whump_ of the rotor blades calming as they passed through a red zone littered with Triceraton patrols which were oblivious to their presence. The cloaking technology invented by Donatello worked well, but it didn't mute the sounds of the machine, only hid its form. Still, the advanced technology enabled them to move smoothly and a lot more silently than a normal chopper. By the time they got a fix on their position they were already gone. Raphael's knee bounced erratically as they drew closer and closer to base. He had woken up to a missed text from Alice and he had answered her right away but had received no response. He told himself that the lack of response was nothing to worry about, but that bitter fear was creeping its way into his brain, latching on with its talons.

What if she was gone? What if she decided that it was time to leave? That thought alone was as crippling as the thought of her somehow incapacitated on his base with no one the wiser. However, an update from Jake let him know she was tucked safe and sound in the quarters she had chosen for herself. Still, the need to see her grew stronger as he got closer to base and he hurriedly readied himself for the drop.

Unlatching the safety harness he stood and shouldered a parachute. Siren stood as he opened the door, the frigid air whipping multicolored strands into her face, making her scowl as she made quick work of changing her hairstyle from a ponytail to a bun. Of his team members she was the one who refused to wear a helmet, opting for a visor instead. He hated those damn things and instead relied on his instincts on the battlefield instead of some computer.

"Approaching drop zone in thirty seconds," said the pilot, a redheaded female that had a distinct accent, German more likely. Raphael watched as she flipped a few switches and noticed for the first time that she had some sort of cartoon cat with a red bow decaled on her pilot's helmet. "Five, four, three, two…"

Raphael jumped. Usually he took his time, enjoying the rush of the air as he glided downward. This time, however, he angled his body and dove toward the dilapidated statue as if he had a horde of demons behind him. He sliced through the sky and within moments was pulling the cord to his parachute and landing easily on his feet.

Unlike Alice, Raphael had landed in a different area, and within moments the main door was opening to welcome him and his team home. Armed guards kept perimeter secure as he rushed forward, handing his used parachute to the first person he saw. He pulled off his helmet, relinquished his weapons save for the sidearm he always kept on his person, and bolted to the elevator before Siren even landed. He'd been furious with her when she told him he had gotten a message while sleeping. Upon seeing it had been Alice he'd blown up.

_"Why the fuck didn't you wake me?!"_

_"You needed your sleep," she insisted. _

_"Don't forget your place, Siren," he growled. "I expect to be notified with incoming messages. This one was important!"_

_"It was Alice, wasn't it?"_

He had nodded and understanding had dawned on her face. She promised to never let it happen again, especially when seeing the distraught look on his face when he tried messaging and calling Alice back and received no answer. Now, he punched his fist into the elevator button. A prompt for a card slide and retinal scan later and he was in the hall. He rushed to the door he knew she would be behind and pounded on it. He heard shuffling on the other end and the door opened and there she was. Her hair was different, a brilliant red that was disheveled from sleep and fell down past her bare shoulders. The scar on her upper lip, the warmth of her eyes, they were all the same.

"Raph?"

He stepped forward and cupped her face with his bare hands gently, as if she were a piece of porcelain that could break at the slightest jostle. He didn't give her or himself time to think. He just reacted. He bent, lips pressing to hers, and he was aware of her arms wrapping around him. He had no fear of her being a clone or another alternate version of the woman he loved. He KNEW it was her, _his_ Alice, the moment she opened the door.

His lips released hers and her panted breath fluttered over his face. Eyes that had fallen shut opened and molten gold met smoky blue. He smiled at the color change of her eyes, thumbs caressing the apples of her cheeks, and she returned the smile: fingertips lovingly traveling over the place between his shoulder blades. He could feel the warmth of her touch even through his kevlar vest.

"Hi, Handsome," she said softly.

"Where have you been?" he asked, nuzzling her neck, cheek sliding over her rapidly beating pulse.

"A lot of places," she answered and he sighed as the warmth of her hand traveled over the smooth top of his head.

"Are you here to stay?" he asked, hope interlacing each word of the question.

"I'm here to stay," she answered.

"Good."

His hands traveled in opposite directions, one tangling in her hair to tilt her head back for another kiss while the other went down the curve of her back to settle at her hip. He wanted too much in this one moment. He wanted to hold her, make love to her, and ask a thousand questions at the same time. She must have reached behind him to close the door because suddenly his back was pressed into it and he groaned as her body molded into his. The hand at her hip slid back up, under the fabric of her simple tank-top, and felt the smooth expanse of her back.

Their languid kiss continued, lips reacquainting themselves with each other, and he released her hair to bring the other hand down her back. Both hands cupped her bottom and he effortlessly lifted her up, her legs wrapping around his waist as he twisted around to press her against the same door he'd just been leaning against.

"I've missed you," he confessed against her lips, her reply a faint whimper that had him pressing his hips tighter against hers, eliciting a soft moan from her swelling lips as she felt his hardening length against her. "I never thought I'd get this ever again…"

He spoke so softly, as if afraid someone would overhear. This small little space they were curled up in, so intimate that the words touched her just as much as his hands did. She cupped his cheek, mirroring his action from before, thumb caressing it as she looked deeply into his eyes. She saw the pain and sorrow in their depths along with desire and damn it all… Love. Why was she fighting this so much? Here was a man, willing to lay it all down for her. He'd confessed as much before her departure, begged her to stay at his side. The Nightwatcher Raphael had held her back before, her feelings for him conflicting with the ones for this Raphael. However, that part of her past was taken care of, so why was there still a part of her skittish to accept him wholeheartedly?

Was she just… Broken? She'd been abandoned one too many times by friends, family, and lovers. The latest betrayal from her sister and past lover still stung. Then, a thought came to her, a thought that had her pushing back from him slightly. He frowned, eyes searching hers as she did her best to find the right words.

"Is there… Has there… Been someone else? Since me?"

"No," he said with such passion that one of her walls cracked. "There's been no one since you. Not when there was a chance you could…" He looked down, swallowing thickly. "And you?"

"A kiss," she said, and she saw his jaw tighten and tick. "With the Raphael from my world, and some… Other things but we didn't… We didn't have sex. Not once."

"Good," he growled, twisting away from the wall and carrying her to the bed. Her feet went to the floor before he could drop her onto the soft mattress and she looked down and started undoing the bracers at his wrists. Hands kept busy as his gear fell piece by piece to the floor. She pressed a kiss to a new scar at the curve of his left shoulder, around the outer arm. "Triceraton had me pinned, got me with one of his horns."

"How many more of these you got?" she asked, hands re-familiarizing the feel of his scarred back while he toed off his boots.

"A couple." He brought a hand back to her hair, gripping it lightly while guiding her head to the side. She exposed her neck willingly as he pressed his lips there, loving the skin with his tongue and teeth. "You?"

"Got a laser to the leg," she murmured, stepping back for a moment to pull her tank top over her head. His eyes darkened when she got rid of her bra and then pulled her pants down. He rushed forward and the both of them grunted as they fell to the bed. Instantly his mouth found hers again, his hand cupping a breast before rolling her already pebbling nipple between his fingers. He fit so perfectly between her legs and though he wanted to take their reunion slow he didn't fight her when she brought both hands to the top of his pants and started undoing them. "I always loved a guy in uniform."

"Oh?" he asked.

"Hmm…"

She held her breath as his hand wandered from her breast, a fingertip swirling around her naval before dipping lower: beneath the scrap of material that was her panties to trail them down her legs. He brushed his hand over her new scar on her leg and pressed a kiss there before his lips trailed upward. Her breathing hitched as he laid a sensual kiss on her inner thigh. Her body was burning for him, a flush creeping its way over her cheeks and down her neck. She sat up and wrapped her arms around him, kissing him desperately. Hands skimmed around his torso before curling up and over his shoulders as she leaned back. His comforting weight pressed into her and she blinked, confused when it was he'd gotten his pants all the way off. However, his mouth slanted over hers once again, this time it was a deep and erotic kiss that was leaving her breathless. She opened her legs further, bringing them up so that her inner thighs embraced his sides. His strong hand moved to her outer thigh, pressing into the skin there, a sensual massage as he positioned himself at her entrance. The air around them stilled and she settled back into her pillow, brilliantly green eyes connecting with his fiery topaz. She swallowed a lump in her throat at the emotions he was instilling in her, the same emotions which were mirrored in his eyes. Finally, he pushed inside her, a slow and shallow thrust that has her hips rising to accept more. A delicious feeling of being filled and stretched hit her hard as he continued to enter her more and more.

She ran her hands down his back, thighs trembling as he picked up the tempo of his thrusts. His hands were braced on either side of her head now and she twisted around to press her lips against his wrist and he moaned, dipping his head down to kiss at her neck, up her jawline, and finally her swollen lips once more. Her tongue eagerly met his as she reveled in the feel of him rolling his hips against hers, his cock hitting her in all the right places. That slow, delicious tingle in her core started to crescendo into something more carnal. They moved as one, each battling the other to reach that sweet release. A desperate keen released from her lips as he brought a hand between her bodies and got her off by pressing into that bundle of nerves that was her sweet spot. Before she even started to come down from her high he was following behind her: pumping desperately before his whole body shuddered then collapsed on top of her, a rumbling moan signifying his contentment. He moved weakly to the side but she followed, a leg curling over his hip while she pressed her forehead directly above one of the few remnants of his shell. She lovingly pressed a kiss to the damaged plate while he pulled strands of now damp hair from her face to tuck behind her ear.

"Tell me I can stay," he murmured, half between the world of wakefulness and sleep. Alice was wide awake, but she was willing to stay, especially when she looked up and started to notice the worn lines around his eyes. "At least for a while…"

"Sleep," she whispered, fingertips brushing over his forehead, down the side of his face. "I'll be here when you wake up."

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"What does this mean?"

Standing in what was deemed the war room, Donatello stood at a table that had a 3-D holographic image of the destroyed city of New York. There were green markings which signified their strongholds, and red ones that charted the Triceraton forces. There were a few clusters of orange dots which mapped the patrol routes and for some reason it looked like a few of them were changing.

"They've been coming up empty-handed," said Michelangelo, his image on another screen flickering here and there. He was standing before the same map, his blue eyes troubled. "A change was bound to happen. With Tate's success in destroying the communication hub and Alice's arrival I'm sure they're getting pressure for results from other factions."

"This one here," said Donatello, magnifying an area. "Looks like they're going to be within a mile of your base."

"Guess that means we'll just have to be more careful," said Michelangelo.

"Or change locations."

"That's just as dangerous as staying," said Michelangelo seriously. "We're underground and hidden just as well as Raphael's base. We should be fine. We'll cut down on supply runs and use the access tunnels more when it comes to entering and exiting the base instead of the main building. There's a storm coming, it'll wipe most if not all the high traffic areas we use clean of any tracks."

"Hm…" Donatello studied the map once more. "If you think that is the best course of action I'll stand by you."

"Get anything off those disks?"

"Molly is still working on deciphering the data. The files she sent me thus far have looked promising." Donatello waved his hand and the map was gone to be replaced by something else. An image of what looked to be a satellite. "I'm not sure what this is. It could be anything from a weapon to something used to jam or produce a signal. Since we found it at a communications hub I'm leaning more toward that. If we can figure out how it works we might be able to use it against them."

"Good," said Michelangelo.

"So…" Donatello shifted, hands going to a stack of papers to organize them unnecessarily. "Hear from Raph yet?"

"No. He got back to base earlier in the night. At least that's what Jake told me when he returned here. I'm sure he's… Resting," he said with a wince, rubbing the back of his neck. "He's always crashed hard after a mission."

"I'm sorry," said Donatello, the sudden sadness in his voice making Mikey go a little on edge. "When Emily told me she was back I knew it would be hard on you…"

"Everyone knows how much of a love-sick fool I am, don't they?" he asked, laughing humorlessly. "You think I haven't tried getting over her? Try and tell me you'd have gotten over Emily all those years ago if she'd chosen someone else."

"I…" Donatello looked away. "I better get back to work. For what it's worth I am sorry. I hope that someday you find someone."

"I have found her," said Michelangelo sadly. "She just found someone else."

Michelangelo ended the transmission and Donatello leaned heavily against the table, head bowed. Two arms slinked around his left arm and he smiled as Emily rested her chin against his arm. He easily pulled her in against him, her warmth seeping into his shell as she burrowed in past the lab coat he insisted on wearing while on base.

"Hey, you," she murmured.

"How did it go?"

"Tate is taking is hard," she said. "I can tell, but he gave me his full report and he did good… The recent development of Alice being able to fly is quite fascinating."

"Mmm… Yes. It is."

"What do you think this all means? Her returning _now_ of all times, with these new powers…" she trailed off, biting her bottom lip to look up at him. "Do you think there is some underlying sign?"

"Maybe," said Donatello. "But her return changes nothing. The mission remains the same."

"Yes," she said. "On that I agree."

"We have another hit planned for tomorrow," he said. "We're coordinating with Raph's base on this one."

"Not Michelangelo's?" she asked.

"Something's come up," he said, bringing the map up, and within moments Emily was updated. "Michelangelo is going to have to lay low for a while."

"His ground team is the strongest," said Emily. "We're going to need that."

"Well," said Donatello. "We now have access to a woman with superpowers. I'm sure we can think of something… If she wants to cooperate."

"Think she will?"

"Lean on her," said Donatello seriously. "Get in touch with her tomorrow, talk about what's been going on… I'm sure she'll be on board."

"And Raphael?" asked Emily. "What if he doesn't want her involved?"

"Leave Raphael to me," said Donatello.

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**TBC…**

_Ohhh… What is the mission? Will Alice be on board? Find out next chapter! Also, perhaps a visit from an old friend that will leave Alice more confused than ever!_


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